Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to scrap the disputed June 18 demarcation of encroachments within the 50-metre Full Tank Level (FTL) buffer zone of the Bhoj Wetland and instead rely on the 2016 demarcation carried out by the Lake Conservation Cell for all future action.
The decision follows the detection of serious discrepancies in the recent demarcation exercise, which allegedly showed a farmhouse belonging to corporator Vilas Rao Gahadge's nephew, Krishna Ghadge, as lying outside the FTL boundary.
The move comes after the BMC issued a show-cause notice to two assistant engineers, finding that the June 18 inspection report (panchnama) contained facts that were inconsistent with records maintained by the Lake Conservation Cell.
The officials were also accused of failing to raise objections before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) or present the corporation's stand in the matter.
Fresh action after objections are resolved
A joint survey by the district administration and the BMC in February-March 2016 identified nearly 400 encroachments within the 50-metre FTL zone of the Bhoj Wetland.
However, six landowners objected, claiming the demarcation had not been carried out in their presence.
A fresh demarcation was conducted on June 18 in the presence of revenue officials, during which several structures, including Krishna Ghadge's farmhouse, 'The Lake House', were shown outside the FTL boundary.
Following the controversy, the BMC has decided that all future action against encroachments will be based on the 2016 demarcation after the six pending objections are resolved.
Officials also noted that several FTL boundary markers near the disputed farmhouse have gone missing.
Officials defend their role
The two assistant engineers, Aditya Khare and Pradeep Kumar Jadia, have submitted their replies to the show-cause notices.
Both contend that the 2016 demarcation was never formally certified and that the June 18 exercise was conducted in the presence of revenue officials, with the panchnama prepared with the consent of all concerned officers.
BMC commissioner Sanskriti Jain said action concerning the Bhoj Wetland FTL would be taken strictly on the basis of official records and statutory documents. "If negligence or facts contrary to official records are found at any stage, the officials concerned will be held accountable," she added.
